[5][6] The name was changed to "Tropheryma whipplei" in 2001 (correcting the spelling of Whipple's name) when the organism was deposited in bacterial collections.

[1] As of 2008, the species, genus, and family name are considered to be invalid due to irregularities in the deposition of type material, and are thus styled in quotation marks.

[8][9] Genomes of intracellular or parasitic bacteria undergo massive reduction compared to their free-living relatives.

Other such examples include Mycoplasma for Bacillota (the low G+C content Gram-positive), Rickettsia for Alphaproteobacteria, and Wigglesworthia and Buchnera for Gammaproteobacteria.

[8] Some of the largest virions like Megavirus chilense, Pandoravirus, Pithovirus and Mimivirus are comparable in size to miniature bacteria like "T. whipplei" and Rickettsia conorii.